The Hugh Mungus saga continues (previously). Hugh Mungus nemesis Zarna Joshi posted a series of videos outlining her views and asking viewers to support her financially via funding platform YouCaring. Ethan Klein at H3H3 gave Zarna $100, then created a companion fundraiser for Hugh Mungus (aka Rudy Pantoja), who recently revealed he has costs related […]

My friend Dave Rosser, the NOLA-based guitarist for the Afghan Whigs (and the Gutter Twins, and Mark Lanegan, etc.), was just diagnosed with inoperable colon cancer. Dave is a brilliant musician, a true gentleman, and a total laugh riot. Now he has a long, hard road ahead of him and the medical expenses he faces […]

A new report out today from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says cancer is now the leading cause of death in California and 21 other states, surpassing heart disease. Back in the early 2000s, only Alaska and Minnesota lost more lives to cancer than heart disease. And back in the 1950s, heart disease […]

The Boing Boing Store’s Gift Guide is full of ideas for pretty much anyone in your life like hipster ice cub trays, Xbox controllers, Halo Boards, and even diamond necklaces. As always, all products in the Boing Boing Store come at great discounts, too. Shop by price bucket starting at under $20. Under $20:Bloxx Jumbo Ice Trays […]

Unlike traditional lighters, the SaberLight features an electronic plasma beam that’s both rechargeable and butane-free. This sleek lighter is even approved by TSA, so you’ll never be stuck buying lighters you’ll just have to throw away partially used. For some people, like me, this is a pretty big game-changer. The SaberLight’s beam is actually both hotter and cleaner […]

Holiday shopping is in full swing, and the Striiv Touch is one of the best gift ideas I’ve landed on. Its simple design works for females and males, and its wide range of features makes it suitable for even the non-fitness enthusiasts in your life.Unlike traditional fitness trackers, the Striiv Touch also acts as a smartwatch. It […]

6

I wish people would realize that these “entitlements” are not handouts, they are infrastructure. At least in open economies, but I guess the whole austerity movement is about closing societies anyways. : /

An unfortunate example of what happens when your tax base can’t support your social programs, and then a profound economic shift occurs. Of course, this is an extreme example, but it’s a good lesson to learn if we don’t want to lose the social programs that we already have.

Is it surprising much of the BS about Greece originates with the right wing news media in the US, like FOX. Retirement age in Greece has always been comparable or better than Germany. Government spending was comparable or less than Germany and France. There may well be a good deal of tax evasion and corruption, as there is in most countries, but the fact remains that Greece was doing fine before the banks collapsed in a heap of fraud. What we have learned is how important it is to control your own currency. And we’ve learned you can’t have a monetary unity without a fundamental political unity.

Beyond that, the IMF has recently recanted about Austerity and agrees it is stupid and counterproductive. As widely predicted, it drives up the deficit and creates instant economic stagnation. It increases unemployment and pressure on government services, and decreases income from taxes. Greece is being fucked by the EU financially, and similarly fucked by the EU on immigration, which is driving the neo-Nazi movement in Greece. (Greece is one of the few points refugees may enter the EU. If caught anywhere in the EU, they get sent back to Greece. Greece is in no position to deal with the brunt of the EU’s immigration problems.)

This is a tragedy because it’s completely unnecessary. Iceland prosecuted it’s bankers and told investors they weren’t bailing them out. (They couldn’t if they wanted to.) Iceland is recovering faster than all the countries that bailed out the banks and give them the reins of government. After all, they know so much about finance (fraud). And so the asset stripping of nations begins. Look, here’s MItt Romney making $115m off bailing out the auto industry: http://current.com/shows/the-young-turks/videos/how-mitt-and-ann-romney-made-up-to-115-million-on-the-auto-bailout Financial fraud and political corruption is rampant everywhere. You don’t need to be Greek – you just need institutional corruption. Got any?

Richard Parker on Lessons from the Greek Financial Crisis (3:34)http://youtu.be/_qDKkCOn5qc
Harvard Kennedy School lecturer Richard Parker discusses Greece and the financial crisis in Europe as part of the American Conversation Essentials series.